Chocolate glaze
A pourable coating that sets glossy. Gelatine or glucose does the shine; the chocolate does the flavour.
A glaze is a soft ganache thinned to pour, usually with glucose or gelatine added to give gloss and to stop it setting matt.
The distinction from a coating is that a glaze is not tempered and is not meant to snap. It sets soft, stays glossy, and is poured over a chilled item so that it sets on contact. That is why the item underneath must be very cold and the glaze warm but not hot — around 35°C is the usual working temperature.
- What it is for
- To pour a glossy, soft-setting chocolate coating over a chilled dessert.
- Working temperature
- 30–38°C — Pouring temperature. Too hot melts the surface underneath; too cool sets before it has flowed evenly.
- Works with
- Dark chocolate, Couverture
Ratios
| For | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple ganache glaze | 1:1 chocolate to cream, plus a spoonful of glucose | Pourable warm, sets soft and glossy. The most forgiving glaze. |
Method
1. Make a soft ganache and add glucose, or bloomed gelatine, for gloss.
2. Cool to around 35°C — warm enough to pour, cool enough to set on contact.
Where people go wrong: Pouring too hot, which melts the surface underneath and gives a thin patchy coat.
3. Pour over a thoroughly chilled item in one movement, and do not go back over it.
Where people go wrong: Spreading it with a palette knife, which destroys the gloss immediately.
When it goes wrong
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Glaze is matt rather than glossy | No glucose or gelatine, or the glaze was disturbed after pouring. | Add glucose next time, and pour in one movement without touching it afterwards. |
| Thin, patchy coverage | Poured too hot, or the item underneath was not cold enough. | Chill the item thoroughly and cool the glaze to around 35°C. |
Related
Works with
- Dark chocolateA pourable coating that sets glossy. Gelatine or glucose does the shine; the chocolate does the flavour.
- CouvertureA pourable coating that sets glossy. Gelatine or glucose does the shine; the chocolate does the flavour.
Covered in
- Why chocolate is dullThe application where handling after pouring destroys the gloss.
Compared in
- Chocolate sauce vs chocolate glazeSet against Chocolate sauce, with the practical consequence of each difference.
Sources
- ChocolateHQ editorial synthesis — ChocolateHQ(citation identity confirmed; passage not re-read)
- The Science of Chocolate — Royal Society of Chemistry(citation identity confirmed; passage not re-read)